23 February 2020
Maslenitsa - Russian Pancake Week or Russian Carnival Week. Grandma's Secret Blini Recipe
*Photo from the New Holland Island in St. Petersburg
The oldest and most delicious holiday in Russia
The Spring officially arrives in Russia with the Maslenitsa! It is the most ancient Russian holiday that dates back to the 2nd century AD. It has pagan roots and it marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. In this sense it is very similar to Catholic Christian carnivals in Europe and Latin America. Maslenitsa means "butter" in Russian and lasts the entire week. It is always the last week before the Great Orthodox Lent. The Great Lent is a strict fast without meat, fish, milk, eggs and alcohol, which lasts for 40 days until Orthodox Easter.
The oldest and most delicious holiday in Russia
The Spring officially arrives in Russia with the Maslenitsa! It is the most ancient Russian holiday that dates back to the 2nd century AD. It has pagan roots and it marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. In this sense it is very similar to Catholic Christian carnivals in Europe and Latin America. Maslenitsa means "butter" in Russian and lasts the entire week. It is always the last week before the Great Orthodox Lent. The Great Lent is a strict fast without meat, fish, milk, eggs and alcohol, which lasts for 40 days until Orthodox Easter.
That is why the celebration of the Maslenitsa for many people is the last opportunity to eat the abundant dishes prepared with dairy, eggs, fish and caviar before the start of the Great Lent. The main dish of the Maslenitsa is blini or Russian crepes. Check out our blini recipe below! As eating meat is not allowed by the Orthodox church during the Maslenitsa, the most typical image of the holiday is blini with butter, salmon and caviar.
However, the long years of communism when any religion with its traditions was banned affected the celebrations of the Maslenitsa and now many people continue to eat meat during this Holiday Week.
However, the long years of communism when any religion with its traditions was banned affected the celebrations of the Maslenitsa and now many people continue to eat meat during this Holiday Week.
The Lent is still important in Russia and each restaurant prepares a special menu for that period. Such menu may contain any dishes, not only from the Russian cuisine, but they are all strictly vegan or as we say in Russian "postnye" which means "Lenten". Many Russians fast on these dates. According to the Orthodox tradition it is equally important to cleanse not only your body through fasting but also your soul, that is not to think bad about the others, be patient and humble.
Names and Traditions for Each Day of the Maslenitsa
Monday for Meetings
On the first day of the party the people of each town make the big straw doll and decorate it. This doll is called Lady Maslenitsa. We started preparing and eating blini with family members.
Tuesday for Games *
It was the day when young people could meet their other half while participating in various games and fun activities.
Delicious Wednesday *
On this day the mothers-in-law prepared blini for their sons-in-law.
Thursday for Celebrations *
Another day full of fun activities with sleds rides (snow was not rare in Russia during Maslenitsa celebrations in the past), street shows, traditional fights among men.
Friday for an Afternoon with Mother-in-law *
This time sons-in-law would treat their mother-in-laws to blini.
Saturday for the Meeting with Sister-in-Law *
Newly married wives would prepare blinis for their new relatives.
Sunday of Forgiveness
The most important day and the culmination of all the festivities. It is time to burn the Lady Maslenitsa in a bonfire on the central squares of each city or village. This ritual symbolises the start of a new life. And therefore, on this day we apologize to our family, friends and beloved ones for everything we could have done wrong before. The nature awakens after the long winter and we are preparing to enter the new cycle in life with the light heart, after having confessed in our sins and forgiving the others. It is a very beautiful tradition and we are still following it!
*Currently we do not observe these rituals, but we do keep the tradition of eating and preparing blini with our family members throughout the whole week.
Monday for Meetings
On the first day of the party the people of each town make the big straw doll and decorate it. This doll is called Lady Maslenitsa. We started preparing and eating blini with family members.
Tuesday for Games *
It was the day when young people could meet their other half while participating in various games and fun activities.
Delicious Wednesday *
On this day the mothers-in-law prepared blini for their sons-in-law.
Thursday for Celebrations *
Another day full of fun activities with sleds rides (snow was not rare in Russia during Maslenitsa celebrations in the past), street shows, traditional fights among men.
Friday for an Afternoon with Mother-in-law *
This time sons-in-law would treat their mother-in-laws to blini.
Saturday for the Meeting with Sister-in-Law *
Newly married wives would prepare blinis for their new relatives.
Sunday of Forgiveness
The most important day and the culmination of all the festivities. It is time to burn the Lady Maslenitsa in a bonfire on the central squares of each city or village. This ritual symbolises the start of a new life. And therefore, on this day we apologize to our family, friends and beloved ones for everything we could have done wrong before. The nature awakens after the long winter and we are preparing to enter the new cycle in life with the light heart, after having confessed in our sins and forgiving the others. It is a very beautiful tradition and we are still following it!
*Currently we do not observe these rituals, but we do keep the tradition of eating and preparing blini with our family members throughout the whole week.
Russian Blini Recipe
Blini is plural
Blin is singular (one piece of blini)
Round and golden blini are the symbols of the sun and spring! They look like crepes, but they are thinner. We say that, if a woman knows how to cook, her blini are almost transparent. There is a wide variety of blini recipes, and the best are transmitted from one generation to another. Here we publish our own recipe of blini approved by us and our relatives. Prepare them and celebrate the Maslenitsa with your family and friends!
The ingredients to prepare 15-18 blini:
1 glass of milk
1 glass of water
1 glass and 2 tablespoons wheat flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Butter to your liking
Blini is plural
Blin is singular (one piece of blini)
Round and golden blini are the symbols of the sun and spring! They look like crepes, but they are thinner. We say that, if a woman knows how to cook, her blini are almost transparent. There is a wide variety of blini recipes, and the best are transmitted from one generation to another. Here we publish our own recipe of blini approved by us and our relatives. Prepare them and celebrate the Maslenitsa with your family and friends!
The ingredients to prepare 15-18 blini:
1 glass of milk
1 glass of water
1 glass and 2 tablespoons wheat flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Butter to your liking
Use the same glass to measure flour, milk and water
How to prepare:
1. Take a large bowl and break 2 eggs, put salt and sugar, add milk and water and mix everything with the whisk or mixer.
2. Add the flour (1 glass + 2 tablespoons). Mix everything carefully until there is a liquid dough without balls.
3. Put baking powder in the dough and mix.
4. Add the vegetable oil and mix the dough carefully once more.
5. Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes
6. Meanwhile, heat a little bit of oil in a pan and remove the remaining oil with a napkin, half an onion or half a potato.
7. Take the small ladle and pour the dough into the centre of the pan. Turn the pan from side to side until the thin layer of dough covers the entire surface of the pan. Put the pan on the fire to fry.
8. Once the top layer changes its color, stops being sticky and the board gets a little golden, it's time to turn it over.
9. Separate the blin from the pan little by little very carefully and turn it over with a quick movement. Another side cooks faster.
10. Store the blini on a plate one on top of another in a pile. Grease each blin with a small piece of butter.
1. Take a large bowl and break 2 eggs, put salt and sugar, add milk and water and mix everything with the whisk or mixer.
2. Add the flour (1 glass + 2 tablespoons). Mix everything carefully until there is a liquid dough without balls.
3. Put baking powder in the dough and mix.
4. Add the vegetable oil and mix the dough carefully once more.
5. Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes
6. Meanwhile, heat a little bit of oil in a pan and remove the remaining oil with a napkin, half an onion or half a potato.
7. Take the small ladle and pour the dough into the centre of the pan. Turn the pan from side to side until the thin layer of dough covers the entire surface of the pan. Put the pan on the fire to fry.
8. Once the top layer changes its color, stops being sticky and the board gets a little golden, it's time to turn it over.
9. Separate the blin from the pan little by little very carefully and turn it over with a quick movement. Another side cooks faster.
10. Store the blini on a plate one on top of another in a pile. Grease each blin with a small piece of butter.
*If the first blin is thick, take less dough for the next one or the other way around.
*After each third or fourth blin, remove the remaining fat from the pan with half an onion or raw potato.
*Instead of a pan we also cook blini with electric pancake makers that are easy to use and a lot of fun for children and adolescents helping you out too!
*After each third or fourth blin, remove the remaining fat from the pan with half an onion or raw potato.
*Instead of a pan we also cook blini with electric pancake makers that are easy to use and a lot of fun for children and adolescents helping you out too!
Serve blini hot with butter, honey or jam as a dessert.
If you prefer to eat the blini as the main course, you can fill them with smoked or salted salmon, potatoes, cottage cheese, mushrooms and vegetables.
The most festive option, quite expensive though, is to eat blini with red caviar (roe or fish eggs). Come to Russia to try it!
If you prefer to eat the blini as the main course, you can fill them with smoked or salted salmon, potatoes, cottage cheese, mushrooms and vegetables.
The most festive option, quite expensive though, is to eat blini with red caviar (roe or fish eggs). Come to Russia to try it!
If you want to try blini in Russia, you can do it each day of the year. We have the cafes where the blini is the main course. The most popular blini chain in St. Petersburg and Moscow is Teremok (on the photo above). They have a lot of cafes, food counters in shopping malls and street pavilions in both cities. In addition to the blini they offer other typical Russian dishes and drinks at affordable prices, all of high quality. Although their website is in Russian only, they do have menu in English in each cafe, ask for it at the counter if you don't see it.
Thank you for reading our post! Please contact us if you have any questions or comments, we would like to know your opinion.
And if you are planning to visit Russia soon, have a look at our interesting tours and master classes. We are also organising Russian cuisine culinary master classes at the beautiful culinary studios in the centre of St. Petersburg, please drop us a line if you are interested!
Text by Alexandra and Karina Carusel Tours
Thank you for reading our post! Please contact us if you have any questions or comments, we would like to know your opinion.
And if you are planning to visit Russia soon, have a look at our interesting tours and master classes. We are also organising Russian cuisine culinary master classes at the beautiful culinary studios in the centre of St. Petersburg, please drop us a line if you are interested!
Text by Alexandra and Karina Carusel Tours